World Bank-administered GPOBA and IDCOL Help Low-Income Households in Bangladesh Access Electricity

News Release No. 2010/03 Contacts:
In Washington:
Jacqueline Sibanda, tel. (+1) 202 458 2974  jsibanda@worldbank.org
 
In Dhaka:
Mehrin A. Mahbub, tel. (+880) 2 815 9001 mmahbub@worldbank.org

Dhaka, May 13, 2010 – The World Bank, acting as administrator for the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA), has approved two grants for a total of US$8.3million to subsidize part of the costs for installation of Solar Home Systems (SHS) and renewable energy mini-grids for poor households in rural areas.

More than 140,000 households (or about 700,000 people) and 5000 small to medium enterprises like timber mills, poultry farms and irrigation pumps in remote rural areas of Bangladesh, are expected to benefit from access to affordable electricity through the SHS and mini-grid projects.